Desperate Housewives’ Kathryn Joosten Opens Up About Her Latest Encounter with Lung Cancer

by Laura Shipp

Eight years ago, Kathryn Joosten,
who plays spirited neighbor Mrs.
McCluskey on ABC’s Desperate Housewives,
went head to head with lung
cancer. A smoker at the time (she has
since quit), Kathryn knew well the
dangers of her nicotine habit, so she
committed herself to twice-yearly chest
X-rays – a well-advised precaution,
which ultimately led to early detection
of her disease. After surgery to remove
her upper right lobe, Kathryn was in
the clear. She was cancer-free.
But in September of this year,
Kathryn received the news that every
survivor fears – recurrence. A fate she
once hoped she had outmaneuvered by
passing the five-year mark.

During a routine checkup, doctors
discovered a spot on her left lung. She
had surgery in early October to remove
the cancerous growth. Coping® magazine
recently checked in with Kathryn
to see how she is coping with her cancer’s
latest assault. Here’s what she
had to say.

You underwent surgery just a few
days ago. How is your recovery
going?
I guess recovery is going at
a pace that it should. I have some pain
at the surgical sites, but that should improve
when the stitches are removed
next week.

What was your immediate reaction
when you heard your cancer was
back? Had you thought you had
put cancer behind you?
I was totally
blown over. I had not expected it, and
certainly not in the other lung. That
part shook me the most. I sought out
a therapist to help me handle the reaction
I was having. Keep in mind, all
of this happened within one month.

How is this bout with cancer different
from the first time around?
The
surgical removal the first time was
much more extensive, as a rib had to
be removed, so my whole chest had
to be opened.

How will all this affect your work
on Housewives?
Not at all. I missed
a few weeks of filming, but we can
make that time up.

What do you think needs to be done
to raise awareness for lung cancer?
More and more survivors need to
come forward, especially any wellknown
personalities. We need to
get the public to see that this is not
something that should be hidden,
that there are treatments for it, that
it can be treated.

Kathryn regularly speaks out about
lung cancer and the stigma that often
is attached to the disease. Because
the most recognized cause of lung
cancer is tobacco use, many people
view it as something that survivors
have brought on themselves, making
it difficult for lung cancer survivors
to speak out. One message Kathryn
wants people to take away from her
story is that there is no shame in talking
about lung cancer.